A few weeks ago I heard an eerie sound, both intensely familiar and strongly out-of-place.
The sound swept down the street, high pitched and wailing, and as it passed every dog in the neighborhood took up the call. They howled an off-key, off-kilter chorus; dozens of voices each at their own rhythm and pitch. The dogs had never heard such a powerful howl, and one by one they trailed off in defeat till the only sound left was that original wail. The blaring siren of an ambulance.
